This is the first of a monthly mailing designed to help parents teach Biblical character qualities to their children. Each month a different character quality will be presented with suggestions for Bible lessons and projects. The length of time you spend teaching these principles to your children each day is not nearly as important as your sincerity and consistency. Begin each time with a relevant hymn or chorus. Then take a verse, theme or story from the suggestions below as the basis for your daily "Bible Time" with your family. Give relevant application of the lesson to your family; and don't forget to ask your children the questions: Who? What? Where? Why? When? and How? Get each member of the family involved by assigning different verses to be read. Finally, conclude your time with family prayer.

Related Hymns and Choruses

• Thank You, Lord, for Saving My Soul
• Count Your Blessings
• Great Is Thy Faithfulness
• Now Thank We All Our God
• Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow

Bible Verses Related to Gratefulness

Spend an evening (or several) looking at just one of these verses at a time. Don't forget to ask your children the questions: Who? What? Where? Why? When? and How? Discuss with your family what each verse or story teaches about the character quality. Choose several verses to memorise together as a family.

• Psalms 92:1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
• 1Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
• Psalms 69:30  I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
• 1 Timothy 5:17  Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
• 1 Peter 2:17 Honour all [men]. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. {Honour all: or, Esteem all}
• 1 Timothy 6:1  Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and [his] doctrine be not blasphemed.

Bible Stories

• The Grateful Leper - Luke 17:12-20
• The Story of Ruth
• King Ahasuerus in Esther chapter 6
• The Apostle Paul in Acts chapter 9 and Philippians 4:10

Character Definitions

• Communicating to others the precise ways in which they have benefited my life, and looking for ways to honor them.
• Learning to recognise the benefits which God and others have provided.
• Looking for appropriate ways to express genuine appreciation
• Accepting difficulties as part of God’s loving provision

Projects

• Do you make it a habit to thank God and others for the many little things in life that others tend to take for granted?
• How many people can you think of who have benefited your life in the past?
• How many of these have you personally thanked?
• Pride is believing that I have achieved what in reality God and others have done for me and through me.

How to Demonstrate Gratefulness

to God

• List the ways God benefits you
• Recall God's help during crisis
• Learn and praise the names of God
• Choose to thank God when not thankful

• Be an energy-giver
• Focus on your work, not the clock
• Thank your employer for fringe benefits
• Look for ways to save him money
• Purpose to make him successful

How to Discover the Key to Gratefulness

The more we realise how indebted we are to God and deserving of nothing but eternal punishment, the more grateful we will be for the many ways He and others benefit us.

One day Simon, a Pharisee, invited Jesus to his home for a meal. During the meal a repentant woman came in, wept over Jesus' feet and then wiped His feet with her hair. Simon murmered against Jesus for letting an immoral woman touch Him, but Jesus said,

"There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?" (Luke 7:41-42)

Simon answered that the one who was forgiven the most would be the most grateful. Jesus commended him for a right answer and then explained that the woman who was weeping had been forgiven many sins, and, therefore, she was very grateful to God.

The woman who washed Jesus' feet was repentant for her many sins. Each of us is also guilty of many sins when we compare our lives to the holy standards of God's Law. (See Exodus 20.)

We can follow her good example by repenting of our pride and willfulness and receiving the forgiveness that Christ has already provided for us by His death on the cross. (See John 3:1-17.)

"O, God, I recognise that I am a great sinner and deserving of eternal judgement. I thank You for sending Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for all my sin, and I do now receive Him as my Lord and Saviour. Thank you for hearing this prayer and for giving me eternal life."

Other Helpful Material

GRATITUDE-INGRATITUDE

(A) GRATITUDE to men, examples of
# Ru 2:10 1Sa 14:45 15:6 2Sa 9:1 10:2 1Ki 2:7 2Ki 4:13 Ac 28:10

(B) PRAISE TO GOD
(1) Enjoined
In Song # Ps 9:11
With Musical Instruments # Ps 33:2
Universal # Ps 67:3 Isa 42:12
Perpetual # Heb 13:15
Four-fold Reason for # 1Pe 2:9

(2) Examples of
# 2Ch 5:13 20:22 31:2 Ps 35:28 51:15 119:164 Isa 12:1 61:3
# Lu 2:20 19:37 24:53 Ac 2:47 16:25

(3) Heavenly
# Ps 148:2 Lu 2:13,14 Re 4:8 5:11,12 7:11,12 11:17
# Re 14:3 19:5

(4) Nature's Praise

# Ps 65:13 69:34 98:8 148:3 Isa 44:23 49:13 55:12

(5) Unceasing
# Ps 35:28 71:6,14 104:33 145:1 Re 4:8 5:13

(C) THANKFULNESS

(1) Exhortations to
# De 8:10 Ps 100:4 107:22 Col 1:12 2:7 1Th 5:18

(2) Examples of
# Ps 68:19 119:62 Da 2:23 Lu 17:16 Ac 28:15 1Co 15:57
# 2Co 9:15 1Ti 1:12

(D) THANKSGIVING, enjoined,
# 1Ch 16:8 Ps 50:14 92:1 Eph 5:20 Php 4:6 Col 3:17
# 1Th 5:18 1Ti 4:4

(E) INGRATITUDE

(1) To God
# De 32:6 Ne 9:26 Eze 16:17,18 Lu 17:17,18 Ro 1:21

(2) To Man, Instances of
# Ge 40:23 Nu 16:13 Jud 8:35 9:18 1Sa 25:21 2Ch 24:22
# Ps 35:12 Ec 9:15 Jer 18:20

(3) Evil for Good, the Returning of
# Ps 35:12 38:20 109:5 Pr 17:13 Jer 18:20 Joh 10:32 15:25

Sources used for compiling this mailing:

• The Online Bible
• Character Booklet 3 - The Character First! Education curriculum is developed by the Character Training Institute, a non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. If you live in the USA, you may request information directly by calling 405-815-0001, writing 520 W. Main St., Oklahoma City, OK 73102, or visiting www.characterfirst.com.